International Journal of Business Systems & Economics journals@arcnjournals.org 33 | Page Contact Employee Recognition and Customer Loyalty of Healthcare Firms in South-South, Nigeria Idenedo, Otite Wisdom (Ph.D.) Goodie-Okio, Jennifer A. (Ph.D.) Department Marketing, Ignatius Ajuru University of Education, Port Harcourt, Rivers State, Nigeria Email: Otiwis@yahoo.com, jennifershalomi@gmail.com Abstract: This study ascertained the link between contact employee recognition and customer loyalty of healthcare firms in South-South Nigeria. Data utilized for the was obtained through a structured questionnaire distributed to 98 sampled contact employees of federal teaching hospitals in South-South, Nigeria. This study was directed at the teaching hospitals because they provide the widest admittance to patients with the completeness of all cadres of healthcare workers. The data collected was analyzed and the hypotheses were tested using the Spearman's Rank Order Correlation Co-Efficient Statistical Tool. The findings revealed a significant and positive relationship between the predictor and criterion variables of the study. Therefore, the study concludes that contact employee recognition significantly relates to customers' loyalty, and customer’s loyalty expressed as resistance to switching, repeat patronage, and word of mouth is a function of contact employees' recognition of the healthcare providers. Premised on the conclusion, the study recommends that, healthcare firms should put in place appropriate contact employees recognition packages to motivate and improve performance. Healthcare providers should consider the various employee recognition methods discussed in the literature imperative to improve on customers' resistance to switching behavior, repeat patronage, and positive word of mouth. Keywords: Contact Employee Recognition, Customer Loyalty, Resistance to Switching, Repeat Patronage and Word Of Mouth. INTRODUCTION The healthcare sector is made up of different institutions with a common objective of attracting potential customers, retaining existing ones, and expediting their progress in the loyalty ladder. With improved technology adoption among operators in the healthcare sector and globalization of shared healthcare knowledge, the challenge of achieving customers' loyalty ought to have been ameliorated. However, the quickly evolving value requirement of customers, coupled with fierce intra- and inter-industry competition has continually stretched the ability of healthcare providers, especially tertiary healthcare providers' in South-South, Nigeria, to win the loyalty of customers. This is despite these healthcare providers' deployment of novel service delivery strategies aimed at commanding customers' loyalty that engender sustainable competitive edge. Besides, the notable competition among players in the healthcare sector, there are also indications of palpable dissatisfaction among patients in Nigeria, concerning the quality of services delivered by the healthcare providers. Ateke (2020) observes that healthcare providers are accused of "wrong diagnoses, mismanagement of health crises, delayed attention, and nonchalant attitude of service personnel and poor service provider-client relationship". These International Journal of Business Systems and Economics ISSN: 2360-9923, Volume 13, Issue 5, (February, 2022) pages 33 - 50 www.arcnjournals.org